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The Standard

Winter 2004 The Standard Page 1

Vol. 18, Issue 1 The Newsletter of the Measurement Quality Division, American Society for Quality Winter 2004

The Division sponsored a session titled “Statistical


Chair’s Column Applications in Metrology” with Phil Stein, Dennis
Jackson (Navy Corona), and me as session present-
ers. The session was attended by approximately 40
people.
We also conducted our traditional MQD meeting via
teleconference at the MSC. Thirteen members and
guests participated during the teleconference.
And, this was just January’s activities! We plan to
have presence at the AQC in Toronto (May, 2004),
NCSLI in Salt Lake City, Utah (July, 2004), and our
own MQD/Inspection Division Conference in Septem-
ber at Heath, Ohio.
Continued support for the maintenance of the CCT
exam is being planned at many stages by the Division
during the year. We are also embarking on strategic
planning for the Division so that its growth is sustained.
Watch this newsletter and our updated website for
further news about the 2004 events.
Message from the Chairman (2004-2005)
Dilip Shah
E = mc3 Solutions
Happy New Year! 197 Great Oaks Trail #130
Wadsworth, OH 44281-8215
It seems that my column starts with a report from
Voice: 330-328-4400
one conference or another. Year 2004 started with the
Division participation in the Measurement Science Fax: 330-336-3974
Conference (MSC) at Anaheim in January. Many thanks E-Mail: emc3solu@aol.com
to our “West Coast Team” of Phil Painchaud and
Duane Allen for setting up the MQD booth and taking
care of booth setup logistics. Thanks also go to Dan IN THIS ISSUE
Harper, Phil Stein, and “honorary member” Carole
Stein for doing “booth duty.” This year, our booth was Chair’s Column................................................... 1

in the main exhibit area instead of the regular spot near Advertising & Article Info.................................. 2

the exhibit entrance. The booth location and a number Chris Grachanen-CCT & Website Updates....... 3

of other factors attracted a lot more traffic and publicity CCT Exam Pass Lists .................................... 4, 5

at the booth for the Division. Phil Painchaud-The Learning Curve..................6

Editor’s Note....................................................... 8

We got a lot of inquiries on the CCT exam and the Jay Bucher-Metrology Handbook Update.........8

upcoming publication of The Metrology Handbook. Phil Stein-The Contrarian Metrologist...............9

Interest is very high in the CCT exam and exam primer/ William McCullough-Standards Activity..........10

refresher courses. Some booth visitors were ready to Joint Division Conference-Call for Papers......11

purchase The Metrology Handbook, and we had to tell Canada INMS NRC CMM Workshop ..............12

them that they could pre-order it through the ASQ Jack Gale-Zero Sigma ..................................... 13

Press. The information on ordering the book was Upcoming Events............................................. 14

displayed at different locations during the conference. MQD January CC Meeting Minutes ..............15

We also had Joseph D. Simmons Memorial Schol- Division Finances ............................................ 16

arship Award application forms at both the MQD and MSC Photos...................................................... 17

NCSLI booths. We solicited “Call for Papers” for our MQD Officers List............................................. 18

MQD conference in September that will be co-spon- Regional Councilors List................................. 19

sored with the Inspection Division. Simmons Scholarship Application Appendix

The Standard

Winter 2004 The Standard Page 2

Vol. 18, Issue 1 The Newsletter of the Measurement Quality Division, American Society for Quality Winter 2004

Publication Advertising Publication Information


Staff
2003 Rates for a single publication: The STANDARD is published quarterly
by the Measurement Quality Division of
Managing Editor Business card size .....................$20

ASQ; deadlines are March 15, June 15,


1/4 page .....................................$35
September 15 and January 15.
Mark Schoenlein 1/2 page .....................................$70

P.O. Box 206 Full page ..................................$120


Text information intended for
publication can be sent via electronic
Perrysburg, OH 43552 A 15% discount will be applied for multi- mail or through postal mail on 3 1/2"
Voice: 419-247-7285 edition ads. diskette in Microsoft Word saved in
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Advertising must be clearly identified as
an ad and should relate to the field of Graphics or illustratios must be sent in
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Ads must not imply endorsement by the Photographs of MQD activities are
always appreciated.
Measurement Quality Division or ASQ.
Publication of articles, product releases,
advertisements or technical information
does not imply endorsement by The
Letters to the Editor Measurement Quality Division of ASQ.
While The STANDARD makes every
The STANDARD welcomes letters effort to ensure the accuracy of articles,
from members and subscribers. Letters the publication disclaims responsibility
should clearly state whether the author for statements of fact or opinion made
is expressing opinion or presenting by the authors or other contributors.
facts with supporting information. Material from The STANDARD may not
Commendation, encouragement, be reproduced without permission of
constructive critique, suggestions, and ASQ. Copyrights in the United States
alternative approaches are accepted. and all other countries are reserved.
If the content is more than 200 words, © 2003 ASQ, MQD. All rights reserved.
we may delete portions to hold that
limit. We reserve the right to edit letters
and papers.
Website Information
The Measurement Quality Division
homepage can be found on the internet
at www.measurementquality.org. Past
editions of the STANDARD in PDF
format are available there.
Winter 2004 The Standard Page 3

CCT Program Update MQD Website Update


By Christopher L. Grachanen By Christopher L. Grachanen
The latest offering of the ASQ Certified Calibration We are pleased to report the MQD website has
Technician (CCT) exam was administered on Dec. 7, been ported over to an ASQ server (special kudos to
2003, at various locations across the U.S. There were ASQ’s Pablo Baez for orchestrating the move and
109 individuals that sat for the four-hour exam with 69 making long sought-after changes to the website). This
of them passing it, yielding a 63% pass rate (the first move will drastically reduce the cost of website mainte-
offering of the CCT exam in June, 2003, resulted in a nance and allow for more timely updates. Speaking of
71% pass rate). The next offering of the CCT exam will updates, the website has been brought up to date with
be on May 23, 2004 (Application Deadline is April 23, current MQD officer information and news about the
2004), in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, at ASQ’s Annual upcoming MQD conference. The site has also been
Quality Congress (http://aqc.asq.org). For more infor- populated with past issues of The Standard (pdf files).
mation about the CCT exam please visit the MQD Please visit us at www.measurementquality.org and let
website at www.measurementquality.org or http:// us know what you think. We are always open to
www.asq.org (click on certification). suggestions for improvement of the website.
In order to increase the test items (questions)
available for inclusion in future offerings of the CCT Late breaking news!
exam, ASQ will be conducting four workshops in 2004
at ASQ headquarters in Milwaukee, Wis. These work- Congratulations to Chris Grachanen
shops, open to those that have passed the CCT exam, whom Test & Measurement World
are a wonderful opportunity to interface with calibration Magazine named “Test Engineer of
professionals from all over the U.S. and to contribute to
the CCT program. ASQ staff personnel will be conduct- the Year” on February 24th, 2004!
ing the workshops and providing training. Hotel reser-
vations are set for the following:
♦ EXAM REVIEW WORKSHOP (March 5 & 6)
Arrival Thurs., March 4; departure Sun., March 7 Sign up for the CCT!
♦ ITEM WRITING WORKSHOP (April 23 & 24)
Arrival Thurs., April 22; departure Sun., April 25 The registration deadline for the next ASQ
♦ ITEM REVIEW WORKSHOP (August 13 & 14) CCT (Certified Calibration Technician) exam
is April 9, 2004. The exam is scheduled for
Arrival Thurs., Aug.12; departure Sun., Aug.15
June 5, 2004. For more info visit www.asq.org
♦ EXAM REVIEW WORKSHOP (Sept 10 & 11) and click on the “Certification” tab or call ASQ
Arrival Thurs., Sept. 9; departure Sun.,Sept.12 at 1-800-248-1946 and request item B1331.
You would be responsible for making your travel
arrangements. ASQ will reimburse up to $400.00 for
airline tickets (no reimbursements will be made for
changed flights) and pay mileage at $0.365 and any
parking fees incurred during your stay. You will be
provided breakfast and lunch on Friday and Saturday
of the workshop. ASQ will pay a maximum of $30.00
for dinners. Receipts are required for all reimburse-
ment requests. The workshop will be conducted
8:00a.m. - 5:00p.m. Friday and Saturday with break- Congratulations to those individuals
fast being served at 7:30. For more information please who passed the June and December
contact Mary Martin, ASQ Administrator at:
MMartin@asq.org 2003 CCT exams!
Their names can be found on pages 4 and 5.
Winter 2004 The Standard Page 4

ASQ CERTIFIED CALIBRATION TECHNICIAN (CCT)


EXAM PASS LIST

Exam Date: June 7, 2003

Muralidhar Audipudy Claude D. Lane


Duane K. Allen Tina M. Marable
Steven A. Arndt Sharry Masarek
Ruxandra M. Avram Randy Lynn Masters
Donald R. Babij Howard Walter Maxim
Michael E. Berry Matthew Maxwell
Rick Blumhorst Terry L. McGee
Neil T. Bowman Jorge Elias Moreno
Christy L. Brandstatt Dennis A. Moutray
Hershal C. Brewer Roy L. Nichols
David E. Brown Steven Niesen
Jay L. Bucher Adrian A. Novak
Patrick S. Butler Tracy P. Omdahl
Mahlon G. Cashman Graeme C. Payne
Jose M. Cayuela Randy Lynn Prince
Jessie Colvin Roland Provost
Richard Arden Cozier Wesley R. Richardson
Antonio Diaz Richard Dale Roberson
Jerry L. Eberhart Charles W. Ryan
William H. Edmundson Brian Sams
Donald F. Evans Jay L. Shepherd
Kelly Michael Finn Gordon A. Skattum
Nancy A. Foncannon Daniel H. Snuffer
Michael T. Gaddy Roger W. Spitz
Alan C. Germann Bradford L. Stanton
Christopher L. Grachanen Arthur William Stauff
Vince R. Hall Philip G. Stein
David A. Highlands David M. Sutton
Warren P. Hunt Mark R. Tibor
Stephen E. Kappesser Wayne Underwood
Rajinder P. Kapur Charles Jay Varljen
Brian V. Keeler Dale E. Varner
Keith P. Kemsley Shane L. Wade
Fred Surbert King Terrelle J. Wilson
Winter 2004 The Standard Page 5

ASQ CERTIFIED CALIBRATION TECHNICIAN (CCT)

EXAM PASS LIST

Exam Date: December 6, 2003

Rakesh Arora Kevin M. Laird


John P. Avery Dale E. Lanser
Charles J. Beargie Richard N. Lipscomb
Kelly E. Bobo Howard G. Mangrum
Brian A. Bollinger Ramona K. Marks
Daniel Sumner Bowman Stephen E. Marshall
Robert L. Bryant Bryan J. Martin
Sylvia A. Burton Gary R. Martz
Albert Frankie Calvo Gary C. Meyer
Brian H. Carver Philip Mistretta
Raymond Cheng Eric R. Moline
Ted Clark Elias Monreal
Daren Crossman Nathan Otis Nelson
Sheldon V. Dummer Glen S. Ogden
Steven C. Fant Michael A. Olsen
Melvyn Douglas Fechner James Milton Parker
Harold G. Foster Donald W. Perron
Sandy L. Frank Mark Lee Price
Allen Scott Fuller David L. Richart
John R. Fuschino Andrew Wayne Ritchie
Jack H. Gale Ronald Rittenberger
Duane E. Geske Brian Paul Samuelson
Scott A. Gingerich Nicholas Scarpa
Alan R. Glassel Keela Lee Sniadach
Antonio F. Granda James R. Stainsby
Ken W. Hacker Kok-Siang Tai
Donald D. Hampton Steven R. Villa
Stephen C. Hogue Eric Y. R. Weng
Brian W. Jeffries David C. West
David A. Jinks David G. Whitley
Grover F. Jones Karl Orlin Wigdal
James D. Klein Kevin E. Will
Bill H. Klodt Brian D. Winkler
Kevin D. Knight Luther E. Woolwine
Robert E. Kukla
Winter 2004 The Standard Page 6

LEARNING CURVE. Our charter was cast during that


session to become a forum to promote Metrology

The Learning Curve Education, academic rather than vocational, compre-


hensive educational rather than specific vocational
training. Well, over the past decade we have had both
good and bad; we have had both success and failure.
Let’s talk about the successes first.
First of all let us direct our view to the metrology
program at the Butler County Community College at
Butler, Penn., and what that relationship with this
column has accomplished. It is quite true that this
program existed prior to our involvement; but, since
then it has, under the leadership of Dr. Don Drum, and
with considerable cynosural attention from us, devel-
oped worldwide recognition as a truly academic two-
Phil Painchaud year metrology fundamental curriculum. But even
more note must be given to the fact that this well-
deserved prominence has earned for them an en-
dowed Chair of Metrology, which we believe is the only
one of its kind anywhere in the world!
The second and possibly the most important aca-
This is the thirty-sixth in a contiguous series of these
demic accomplishment of the past decade is the estab-
soliloquies ostensibly directed toward discussions of
lishment of the four-year degreed program at the
Metrology Education but which often drift elsewhere at
California State University—Dominguez Hills under
the whim of the author as he composes the text.
the brilliant leaderships of Dr. Eugene Watson and
According to The American Heritage Dictionary of Dean Margaret Gordon. This program has just com-
the English Language: pleted the first semester of its second year and now
SOLILOQUY: 1a) A dramatic or literary form of affords our profession a source for a fully accredited
discourse in which a character reveals his or her degree in the measurement sciences. More about this
thoughts when alone or unaware of the presence of later.
others; b) A specific speech or piece of writing in the Now the bad news; we have failed to accomplish
form of disclosure. 2) The act of speaking to one’s self. one of the primary objectives of the charter we were
I generally attempt to do this periodic composition to founded under a decade ago—we have been unable to
comply with “1a” above. However, the dearth of create the forum specified—a forum designed to pro-
response, at times, causes me to believe that definition vide a platform for bilateral discussions on the subject
number “2” applies. As usual, this is in the form of an of Metrology Education. The response with letters of
open letter to our BOSS, the Managing Editor of this depth from you readers has just been too sparse to
somewhat periodic gazette. even consider implementing any reasonable discus-
sion platform. To illustrate my point let me reprint an
excerpt from that first column from ten years ago: “and
Dear Boss: most important, we need your inputs; remember this is
I am composing this column during the waning days not supposed to be a monologue by me, I think I am a
of the Year 2003. It is often customary for those of us (semi?) retired metrologist, not a practicing monolo-
who write for public consumption, during such waning gist. We will need papers and articles related to
days, to reflect back on the accomplishments and/or Metrology Education, either pro or con; articles show-
lack thereof during the past 12 months. In this case, ing the necessity for formal training; letters bemoaning
however, since this is the tenth anniversary of this the lack of it; learned treatises from academic theorists
column, let us reflect back for a full decade. supporting the thesis that Metrology Education should
not or does not need to exist (Sound crazy? Well, I
For those readers who have not been with us that actually had an engineering department head of a very
long, in the first column I explained in some detail about prominent state university once tell me directly that
a session that occurred on the evening of September metrology does not exist. His exact words were,
28, 1993, in the living room of the Founding Editor of “Metrology is a non topic, and hence it cannot ever be
The Standard that resulted in the creation of this THE discussed!”); discussions of how detailed mechanicallly
Winter 2004 The Standard Page 7

should Metrology Education be, i.e., should metrology tioned room that formerly housed rows of main frames,
curricula be limited to the training in the manual as- and with plenty of power, as well as several peripheral
pects of calibration and repair procedures, or rather smaller rooms, has been assigned to the program.
should it encompass a broad spectrum of physical and While the necessary modifications cannot be accom-
chemical disciplines and with a heavy emphasis on the plished in time for this Spring semester, the facility will
mathematical approaches of dimensional analysis, surely be ready by next Fall.
error analysis, and the design of experiments?” The Rev. Norman F. McFarland, retired Bishop of
I am very much afraid that this has not come about, Orange (Calif.), is in my opinion a superb writer. His
and I have become the monologist that I feared I might many homilies have covered many topics, both liturgi-
become. Dear readers, it was my intention to become cal and secular. With his permission, I have excerpted
the moderator of your discussions or the discussion from one he published in his Diocesan Newspaper of
leader of a Colloquium-in-Print if you prefer. Most July, 2003, the following fragment. I feel that the
assuredly, I did not intend to become the monologist of thought contained therein gives considerable credit-
a periodic column—but it appears that I have. ableness to my consistent insistence that metrologists
need to be educated academically rather than trained
Now for the latest update on the California State
vocationally or created by fiat as many are.
University—Dominguez Hills Program. As I have
explained in past issues, the program is designed to be “Mediocrity Won’t Cut It”
offered on-campus, on-site, and on-line. To date, —“We hold these truths to be self-evident,” wrote
because of lack of space on the campus, the program the author o f the Declaration of Independence, “that all
has been available only on-line. So far this has been men are created equal…”
no particular problem, but a problem has been loom-
ing—how do you teach laboratory dependent subjects “’The only problem,’” a professor of mine was fond
on line? Good news! Dr. Watson informed me during of saying, “’is that most of them stay that way.’”
one of our “power lunches” that Dr. Zia Khwaja, one of “Thomas Jefferson, I feel, would have appreciated
his instructors in his graduate quality program, has that laconic observation. While directing his enormous
recently received a grant to develop just such a sys- talents and energies to the cause of freedom and the
tem. Furthermore, it is not a “blue sky, hair-brained” proposition that ‘all men are created equal, that they
idea, as he has been experimenting with an interactive are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable
on-line laboratory instructional system for some time. rights,’ he nevertheless would not have been inclined
This grant will enable him to put the finishing touches to confuse the ethic of equal opportunity with an ethic
on it, fine tune it, and package it for use by others. of equal results. Not with his intellect, and certainly not
On December 19, 2003, a delivery truck pulled up from his experience.
in front of my house with two surprise packages: a “For the history of the American Revolution—in
Guildline Dauphine Potentiometer, Model 9444, s/n which Jefferson played so large a role—was not written
22173 and a Guildline Standard Volt Ratio Box in oil by your average run-of-the-mill taxpayer. It was the
bath, Model 9700A, s/n 23338. These had been the unusual coming together of a few men of broad vision
personal property of Mr. Carl Quinn, the now-retired and extraordinary genius, of masterful and articulate
long-time Vice-President of SIMCO Electronics. He leadership, that gave expression and direction to the
was donating them to our program and didn’t know how ideals and principles of a new American identity. And
to get them there. The following Monday, my son and insofar as this new identity has, during the ensuing two
I took them over to Carson and delivered them to and a quarter centuries, achieved the promise of its
Dr. Watson. As old as they are, they are in perfect noble conception, we can be grateful for the dedica-
condition and are superb teaching tools. We estimated tion, inspiration, and leadership of men and women of
for tax purposes that together they are worth $25- like stature. In a word: the greatness of this country did
30,000. This was a very generous and well appreci- not derive from a well of mediocrity. If America is a
ated donation. haven for the common man, it is only because distinctly
That trip to the campus afforded us an opportunity uncommon men and women have made it so.”—
to see the rooms just that week assigned to the In metrology in particular “Mediocrity Won’t Cut It.”
measurement science program. The university is just In every scientific, technical, and commercial activity in
now completing an extensive building program, and the entire world, measurements of some sort are
several administrative functions that have been oper- involved; and valid efficacious measurements are vital
ating in less that adequate quarters have moved to to the results as well as to the health, safety, and well
their new locations. These moves included the central being of every being on this planet. Somewhere well
computer facility. The large, central, well-air-condi- up in the measurement chain, a truly professional,
Winter 2004 The Standard Page 8

competent metrologist must be in control of the mea-


surement system; technicians, calibrators, and “bean
counters” who have been created metrologists by fiat
just cannot hack it. They have not been educated for Metrology Handbook
that level of technical responsibility, irrespective of Update
what level vocational training they might have under-
gone. This enforced Mediocrity Cannot Cut It!
I realize that this will raise the hackles on many of
you. So come back and argue in writing so that we can
get that forum going. I am at the same old stand where
I have been for the past 43 years:

Phil Painchaud
1110 West Dorothy Drive
Brea, CA. 92821-2017
Voice: 714-529-6604
Fax: 714-529-1109
E-Mail: painchaud4@cs.com
or olepappy@juno.com

The writing portion of the handbook has been put to


bed and sent off to ASQ and their editors and pre-press
Managing Editor’s Note group.
I would be remiss if I did not thank the team of co-
authors and significant support from ASQ. The co-
authors were: Graeme C. Payne, Christopher
Grachanen, Dilip Shah, David Eugene Brown, Emil
Hazarian, Keith Bennett, Hershal Brewer, and Jay L.
Bucher.
The support, advice, and sense of humor we re-
ceived from Annemieke Hytinen and Ann Benjamin
from ASQ has been nothing short of outstanding. This
project would surely have been ‘Mission Impossible’’
without them.
Mark Schoenlein
We anticipate a final product for purchase around
April, 2004. It has an item number of H1215 in the latest
edition of ASQ Press publications. The list price is
$85.00, with a membership price of only $68.00--an
outstanding value for the money.
Thanks for all of the nice compliments about the
newsletter. The next edition will be out after the AQC
in May. Still looking for more articles to publish so Jay L. Bucher, ASQ CCT
fire up those PCs. Editor, The Metrology Handbook

More late breaking news! Note: See the MQD conference call minutes from
January 15th on page 17 for more details.
Congratulations to Phil Stein who has
been elected as an ASQ National
Director for 2004-2006!
Winter 2004 The Standard Page 9

Calculate the variance, root mean square (rms), root


sum square (rss), and standard error of the mean
The Contrarian (SEM) for a data set.

Metrologist 4. Sampling issues:


Recognize various terms, including acceptance sam-
pling, sample size, sufficient number of points, etc.
5. Quality tools:
Control charts, histograms, scatterplots
In fact, as readers of this column know well, the
statistical quality tools such as scatterplots and control
charts are important, powerful tools that can provide
great information for the improvement of measurement
processes.
Still, many confusions and misinterpretations re-
main. Many of us who use statistics aren’t really clear
Philip Stein
on what they mean or how to use them properly.
For the rest of this article, I’ll discuss a really hard
topic – the standard error of the mean (SEM) . As you
can see from the above, it’s part of the BOK and
something we should all use occasionally in metrology.
It’s also the most important and most common source
of confusion in all of basic stats.
When I have several pieces of data, such as repli-
UNDERSTANDING YOUR STATISTICS cate measurements of the same quantity (repeatability
study), I take the arithmetic average, or mean, of those
data; and this average is the best estimate of the actual
As usual, it’s time for another scolding from the
value of the underlying quantity being measured (the
contrarian metrologist.
measurand). We can never know the exact value, of
Most of us, myself included, do everything we can course. Our measurements, single ones or repeat
to avoid thinking about statistics. It looks hard, it’s ones, are estimates of that value; and in most cases the
rarely taught well, and we can usually do without it. mean is the best estimate that can be made.
Still, though, metrology is an inherently statistical pur-
[I said ‘in most cases’ because statisticians will
suit. All measurements have error; and without statis-
always weasel-word absolute statements. There are
tics, we really can’t tell whether this error is large
circumstances when better estimates might be pos-
enough to influence our results – or even make them
sible, usually when the distribution of the underlying
invalid.
data is somehow aberrant. Still, in metrology, the data
The need for statistical knowledge is also reflected are almost always well behaved, and it’s quite safe to
in the CCT (Certified Calibration Technician) exam. always use the mean as the best estimate.]
The body of knowledge (BOK) specifies that the appli-
Back to the replicates. In addition to the mean,
cant must be familiar with the following statistical
which is a measure of central tendency, there is an-
principles and tools:
other common statistic: the standard deviation (sd).
1. Basic statistical tools: This is the most common measure of spread for vari-
Define and use basic statistics such as measures of ables data. Again, in metrology, that’s almost always
central tendency, (mean, standard deviation, etc.), the case. The sd describes the breadth of the spread
sample vs. population, degrees of freedom, etc. of the data around the mean and is an indicator of how
repeatable the measurements were during the study
2. Common distributions:
that produced the data.
Classify data distributions as being normal, rectangu-
Now, for a moment, think about a measurement in
lar, triangular, or U-shaped.
which several (say “j”) repeats are done and the
3. Descriptive statistics: reported answer is the mean of those repeats. A typical
situation here would be a hardness measurement,
Winter 2004 The Standard Page 10

either for steel or for rubber. Often, five ‘shots’ are taken before putting it into the budget.
on the standard or on the unknown and the average is Learn this well, and you will be miles ahead of your
reported. This is because a single shot will often give colleagues in understanding.
unreliable results. Keep firmly in mind here: the data
reported are means of small groups (called subgroups)
of measurements of size j. P.G. Stein Consultants
400 Oak Street
Now what is the sd of these data? Well, since each
Pennington, NJ 08534-3316
datum is in fact a mean or average, we need to
Voice: 609-737-9144
calculate the sd differently than we do when the data
are individual measurements. Cell: 908-672-1480
Fax: 609-737-9411
If the sd of a set of individual measurements is E-mail: pstein@measurement.com
represented by the symbol σ, then the sd of a set of
www.measurement.com
averages (called the standard error of the mean) is σ/
√j, where j is the number of data in each subgroup.
The most common mistake made in metrology in
this area is when calculating the results of a repeatabil-
ity study. Usually, the spread of the data is represented
by the sd when the individual measurements are used Standards Committee
Activity
as data. Sometimes, as with the above-mentioned
hardness measurements, the data are averages. When
this is true, the correct spread to report for repeatability
is the standard error of the mean. If the subgroup size
in the data is 5, divide the calculated sd by the square
root of 5.
The US Technical Advisory Group to TC 176 is
There’s one further subtlety to discuss here. My
proceeding with what promises to be minor changes to
repeatability studies are usually done on individual
ISO 9001. There should be more on this after the
data. For example, I can measure the repeatability of a
March TAG meeting at San Francisco.
voltage measurement or a hardness test by taking 30
shots. For data analysis, I take the average of those 30 ISO 17025 required a technical change. The state-
and the sd based on 30 degrees of freedom. The ment at 1.6 that by complying with the requirements of
answers yielded by this study are the correct values of 17025 they will meet the requirement of ISO 9001/
the best estimate of the value and of the spread, and 9002 turns out to be a technical overstatement. It
these are the statistics that should be reported as the appears that they will only meet the principles.
result of this study. On the NCSLI side of the measurement world,
Now when it comes time to write an uncertainty changes are under way to ANSI/NCSL Z540-1. Last
budget for whatever measurement I‘m making, I have year the NCSLI 174 committee assigned a work group
to look at how the measurement data are reported to the task to bring Z540-1 up to date. In a very short time
the user. If, for example, I measure and report voltage, three exploratory documents were prepared by the
I will likely make only one measurement for the cus- team, lead by Del Caldwell. At the Measurement
tomer. Science Conference (MSC) a consensus document
was presented to 174 for their review. The review is to
The repeatability influence to be put in the budget is
be completed by March 1st of this year, and from those
based on 30 measurements during the study, but I am
comments a draft is to be prepared and presented to
only making one measurement for the customer. Re-
174 at the Salt Lake NCSLI conference.
port the sd of the repeatability study on the budget line
for repeatability.
For hardness, though, what is reported to the cus- Bill McCullough
tomer are the means of subgroups of size j. Report the McCullough Consulting
standard error of the mean for subgroups of that size on 1936 June Cr.
the budget line for repeatability – in other words divide Carson City, NV 89706
the repeatability study sd value by the square root of j billmccullough@gbis.com
Winter 2004 The Standard Page 11

CALL FOR PAPERS

American Society for Quality’s


Measurement Quality Division and Inspection Division
Are Pleased to Announce a Joint Division Conference
September 23-24, 2004

Conference Location: A Workshop is Planned:

USAF Primary Standards Laboratory ♦ The ASQ Certified Calibration Technician


Conference & Cafeteria Facilities (CCT) Exam Review
Newark Metrology Operations
Heath, OH 43056
Proposals for additional workshops on Sep-
tember 22, 2004, are also invited. Please
Heath, Ohio, is conveniently located 20 miles contact Dilip Shah.
east of Columbus off I-70 and served by the
Columbus airport. Many hotel and dining
Exhibit Space is Also Available:
facilities exist in the surrounding area.

A limited number of EXHIBIT TABLES and


Abstract submissions of less than 100 words PROMOTIONAL SPONSORSHIPS are also
are invited from the following suggested (but available for a nominal cost. Please contact
not limited to) categories: Dilip Shah.
♦ Measurement Uncertainty
♦ Training
♦ Standards Affecting Inspection and For further information, please contact:
Measurement
♦ Measurement Techniques Inspection Division:
http://www.asqinspection.org/
♦ Inspection Techniques
**Gregory S. Gay: ggandlg@net-link.net
♦ Certification
**Jenny Persful: jpersful@sabincorp.com
♦ Laboratory Accreditation
♦ Inspection and Measurement Quality Measurement Quality Division:
♦ Statistical Application in Inspection and http://www.measurementquality.org/
Measurement **Dilip A. Shah: emc3solu@aol.com
**Hershal Brewer: hbrewer@iasonline.org
Deadline for abstract submittal is May 31st,
2004. Please forward to Hershal Brewer. MQD officer contact info can be found on page 18.
Winter 2004 The Standard Page 12

INSTITUTE FOR NATIONAL MEASUREMENT STANDARDS

NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL CANADA

CMM Workshop May 3-4, 2004

A two-day CMM workshop is being planned for May d. Best-fitting


3-4, 2004. The workshop is directed toward the indus-
e. Understanding how to deal with it--practical
trial CMM users and will concentrate on GD&T, CMM-
advice
CAD, CMM programming and worked-out practical
examples. 7. Geometrical tolerances
Reserve the dates! As details become available, a. Y14.5M and ISO 1101 standards. Different toler
they will be posted at http://inms-ienm.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/ ance zones and practical advice on best way to
courses e.html#upcoming. Or, you can contact Debbie approach it.
Black at (613) 990-2999 (email: debbie.black@nrc- 8. The concepts of MMC, RSF, and LCM
cnrc.gc.ca) or Kostadin Doytchinov at (613) 991-0265
9. Dealing with the conflict between Y14.5M and the
(email: kostadin.doytchinov@nrc.ca) for information.
SPC (statistical process control)
Cost:
10. Satisfying both the process engineer and the
$450/day for early registration--before April 15 GD&T drawing requirements
$500/day for registration after April 15 11. Measurements of “known” surfaces using the “ma-
Single-day participation is available terial condition” approach
12. Measurements of “unknown” surfaces
Workshop Subjects a. Tip radius correction on a free surface--cosine
error
13. Data clouds to CAD model best-fitting
1. Dimensional metrology basics
14. “Stitching” of measurements (part bigger than the
2. The CMM: understanding the mechanical structure
measuring volume)
(traditional Cartesian). The 21 geometrical error
sources. 15. CMM programming
3. Probe calibration (qualification): why needed, goals, a. Why a good software programmer is not neces
and results. sarily a good CMM programmer
a. Single stylus b. Useful tips for CMM programmers
b. Multiple stylii, multiple probe positions c. Saving time, gaining accuracy
c. Custom probe calibrations, practical advice d. Building important checkpoints in the CMM
program
4. Things to do before starting the measurements
a. Understanding the goal
All CMM workshop lectures will be presented in
b. Putting the drawing (CAD model) under scrutiny
English.
c. What do we really want? Troubleshooting or
tolerance compliance?
d. Choosing accessories and clamping
5. Designing the measurement strategy
6. Datum Reference Frame (DRF) and coordinate
system
a. Do they always mean the same?
b. Principles of building a DRF
c. Examples of ambiguous, over contraint, or not
fully constraint DRF (or coordinate system)
Winter 2004 The Standard Page 13

ZERO SIGMA:

WHEN YOU ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY CAN’T PERFORM THE CALIBRATION

by Jack Gale

The phone call comes in, or better yet, the instrument shows up on the loading dock. Your shipping clerk looks
at it and gets a technician; the tech scratches his head and calls the manager. You run a Google™ on the
nameplate and find out what the thing does. Now it’s time to call the client and ask why they sent it in, because
you can’t calibrate this instrument!
Whether your lab is in-house or commercial, somebody will eventually bring something to you that your lab
won’t be capable of calibrating. The customers will always continue to challenge your capabilities and make you
feel inadequate. There is no little blue pill for this. Calibration clients will purchase new equipment and find out later
if their calibration vendor is up to the task. Every lab has a collection of these stories to share…
♦ “I bought it, so you should be able to calibrate it.”
♦ “You calibrate everything else I have, so you have to do this.”
♦ “The last guy did my gage blocks with a micrometer right here at my facility. Why can’t you?”
♦ “Just go out and buy a standard so you can get this done.”
So, now it falls upon somebody to explain the logistical, ethical or financial reasons why this instrument won’t
be calibrated today. This is a very touchy subject, as all labs, regardless if they are internal or commercial
operations, want to satisfy the customers. Most customers are not aware that it takes more than “buying a
standard” to become capable of performing a calibration. Making the customer understand these issues will go
a long way in cementing a business relationship rather than sinking it to the bottom of the river.
These notes explain the reasons behind some capability shortcomings in the hope the customer will better
understand:
Legal and Regulatory Requirements: Some fields have legal or regulatory requirements that prevent us from
providing service to some equipment. We are prohibited from calibrating some weighing and volumetric equipment
(produce scales, gas pumps, etc.) used to measure quantity for commerce because these functions are either
administered by the states or require state licensing.
Breadth of Accredited Scope: Some customers wish that our A2LA scope of accreditation were broader, as
do we. Some of the additional costs and efforts to include new areas into our accredited scope include extensive
uncertainty determinations, documentation upgrades, locating accredited vendors and proficiency providers and
the additional costs associated with the assessment procedure. We must weigh these factors against the demand
before undertaking any scope expansion. We will continue to review customer needs and keep customers aware
of any planned scope expansions.
Return on Investment: Just like a manufacturer, we must consider the return on our invested capital,
expenses and time before undertaking a new capability. Some equipment is rare, and it is not feasible for many
independent labs to invest in these capabilities for just a few calibration events per year. We will work with our
customers to locate a qualified vendor for their equipment.
Access to Required Standards and Procedures: Some equipment OEMs will not release the standards,
procedures, software or parts for outside parties to service or calibrate their equipment. They either are protecting
a monopoly on the calibration of this equipment or seek to protect proprietary information by not releasing any
information other than the user’s manual.
Not Geographically Supported: Some equipment may have a large installed base but not prevalent in the
geographic regions we serve. Just as our lab would have trouble calibrating oil-field equipment, it would be likely
not to expect a lot of fiber optic capability in Wyoming.
Industry Structure: Some niches within the metrology field have been traditionally served by specialty firms
and typically can provide this narrow array of services at a lower cost than a wide-scale metrology lab. Commercial
scale houses and clean room vendors are just two examples of business segments better served by specialists.
Winter 2004 The Standard Page 14

Employee and Safety Concerns: We have declined to serve certain segments or needs because we have
determined it is not in the best interests of our people and our business to serve that area. We may decide to not
calibrate radiological equipment (radiacs) or work in environmentally hazardous areas.
Lack of the “Universal Black Box” Calibrator: While the capabilities of standards have improved, there are
no “one piece does it all” calibrators that can handle the scope and range of products in the market. The use of
near state-of-the-art technology on the production floor and the limitless variety of options offered frequently
causes mismatches between instruments and standards. If every range or band requires another major
investment in standards, this segment may be best left to the equipment manufacturer.
♦ Ability to Provide On-site Service: Labs will vary in what services they are willing to offer at the customer’s
location. Each lab decides which standards and operations they can perform on site based upon their skills, their
equipment, and the environment. You sometimes have to work hard to explain that you would rather get a root
canal than put the 1 ppm standard into the trunk of a car.
Once you have an understanding with your client, now is the time to adopt the “Can-Do” attitude and find a
solution to their problem. Discuss the subcontracting options they have to obtain a calibration, and find out what
you can do to fill the gap with a capable colleague. Most of your clients will value your judgment and assistance
in helping them find a solution that works for both parties.

Jack Gale
Essco Calibration Laboratory
14 Alpha Road
Chelmsford, MA 01824 “ Every man owes part of his time and money to the
business or industry in which he is engaged. No
Voice: 1-800-325-2201
man has a moral right to withhold his support from
E-Mail: jgale@esscolab.com
an organization that is striving to improve conditions
www.esscolab.com within his sphere.”
-Theodore Roosevelt

Important Upcoming Events

Conference Dates Location Contact Number Website

Quality Expo
April 19-21, 2004 Novi (Detroit) MI 888-267-3794 www.quality.reedexpo.com
Detroit

IDW May 10-14, 2004 Nashville, TN 865-574-4261 pritchardew@12.doe.gov

ASQ AQC May 24-26, 2004 Toronto, Canada 800-248-1946 www.asq.org

NCSL July 11-15, 2004 Salt Lake City, UT 303-440-3339 www.ncsli.org

September 23-24,
MQD Heath, OH 330-328-4400 emc3solu@aol.com
2004
Winter 2004 The Standard Page 15

TELEPHONE MEETING MINUTES used by other divisions in developing their strategic


plans. The MQD Sharepoint site will be used for
MEASUREMENT QUALITY DIVISION
development activities. MQD will work towards winning
JANUARY 15, 2004 the McDermott Award. (Phil Stein commented that the
6:30 PM PACIFIC TIME level of quality activities within MQD, i.e., new certifica-
tion program, handbook publication, etc., would make
FROM THE MSC CONFERENCE
it a good candidate for winning the McDermott Award)

Attending were:
M1 Standards/Standards Update - Bill McCullough
Dilip Shah – at MSC
Z-540 M1 subcommittee is considering the fate of
Chris Grachanen – via teleconference M1 (possibly a new update). Comments are due by
Mark Schoenlein – via teleconference March 4th, with plan of action due by NCSL Interna-
tional Conference 2004. MQD has deferred motion on
Jay Bucher – via teleconference
M1 until next meeting. (Good discussion about the
Bill McCullough – at MSC merits of ISO 10012-2003)
Norm Belecki – via teleconference
Phil Stein – at MSC MQD Conference - Hershal Brewer
Graeme Payne – via teleconference There was a lot of excitement at MSC about the
Dan Harper – at MSC upcoming MQD Conference (especially about educa-
tion day). The call for papers was well received, and a
Hershal Brewer – at MSC number of folks have expressed interest in submitting
Phil Painchaud – at MSC (tentative deadline for paper submittal is May 31,
Tatiana Hornikova – Guest at MSC 2004). There is a need to establish a review committee
with chair for paper selection as well as a conference
Earl Paazik – Guest at MSC facility committee (efforts to be coordinated via e-mails
and MQD Sharepoint site). Dilip will be working on a
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between MQD
and 1) USAF 2) Inspection Division for the conference.
Last Teleconference - Jay Bucher
Read minutes from the October 29th teleconfer-
Financial Report - Mark Schoenlein
ence. Motion to approve minutes as read--approved.
Working on end of year totals (Dilip to submit final
numbers to Mark--numbers expected not to differ much
Chair Report From MSC - Dilip Shah from those presented in Fall, 2003, issue of The
The Metrology Handbook has been well publicized Standard). $3k U.S. per year obligation for Joe Simmons
at the MSC with lots of inquiries. Scholarship fund noted.
Applications for the Joe Simmons Scholarship were
available at MSC. Joe Simmons Scholarship - Norm Belecki
Received many compliments on the latest edition of Pat Simmons has compiled a listing of Metrology
The Standard. The Standard was distributed at the Education institutes for sending out scholarship appli-
MQD booth at MSC. cations (scheduled to be sent out by May 1, 2004).
The MQD conference has put out the call for papers Applications for the Joe Simmons Scholarship were
at MSC. available at MSC. Action plan needs to be set in place
for awarding the scholarship at NCSL International
A lot of traffic was generated at the MQD booth by
2004 Conference. Work still needs to be done for
publicity from the CCT exam and The Metrology Hand-
getting IRS tax-free, non-profit status.
book.

Metrology Handbook - Jay Bucher


Strategic Planning - Dilip Shah
ASQ quality press was sent the raw drafts for the
Gave plan for benchmarking other ASQ division
handbook on January 13, 2004. The handbook is
strategic plans. Traci Blom has provided a template
scheduled for an April, 2004, release and is expected
Winter 2004 The Standard Page 16

to be approximately 400-500 pages and cost $85 U.S. New Business


for non-members and $65 U.S for members. Dr. John The MQD tradeshow display needs to be updated.
R. Rumble, Jr., Acting Director, Office of Measurement Phil Stein motion to allocate up to $2k U.S. for repair
Services, NIST, has agreed to write the Forward for the and updating the display--motion approved.
handbook. The following were thanked for their contri-
butions and hard work: Change in Division officers: Chris Grachanen is
now MQD Secretary, and Jay Bucher is MQD Chair-
elect for 2004/2005. Dilip remains Chair for 2004/2005.
♦ Jay L. Bucher: Editor, Co-Author MQD also submitted Phil Stein’s nomination as
♦ Graeme Payne: Co-Author ASQ National Director. Election process is under way,
with each division allowed to vote for four candidates.
♦ Chris Grachanen: Co-Author MQD was first to vote through Sharepoint site.
♦ Dilip Shah: Co-Author
♦ Dave Brown: Co-Author Action Items w/ champions
Development of MQD strategic plans--Dilip / Jay
♦ Emil Hazarian: Co-Author
Complete MQD Conference Memorandum of Un-
♦ Keith Bennett: Co-Author derstanding--Dilip
♦ Hershal Brewer: Co-Author Establish MQD Conference paper review commit-
tee and conference facility committee--Hershal
♦ Annemieke Hytinen of ASQ
Complete end of year financials--Mark
♦ Anne Benjamin of ASQ
Develop Joe Simmons Scholarship action plans--
Norm
CCT Update - Chris Grachanen Repair/Update MQD trade show booth--Dilip
One-hundred nine persons sat for the December, Update MQD website--Chris
2003, exam, with 69 passing it for a pass rate of 63%
(very similar to June, 2003, pass rate). There will be two
CCT workshops for Spring, 2004, to develop and Submitted by: Chris Grachanen & Jay Bucher
review new test items for the CCT exam (March 5 & 6
and April 23 & 24). The workshops will be held at ASQ’s
Milwaukee Headquarters (ASQ pays transportation,
lodging and meals) and are open to all those who have Division Finances
passed the CCT exam. For more information please
contact Mary Martin, ASQ Administrator, at:
Mmartin@asq.org. Next CCT exam will be offered at As of January 31, 2004
the AQC in Toronto.
Cash:
MQD Website Update – Chris Grachanen Checking 16,865.00
Pablo Baez, ASQ Community Care Administrator, Money Market 72,469.00
has imported the MQD site from its existing site to an
Receivables:
ASQ preferred provider site. This will allow for a drastic
savings in site maintenance fees as well as allowing for Advertising 70.00
speedier updates.
HQ owes 1,497.00
Total Assets: 90,901.00
Update of Dominguez Hills Program – Phil Painchaud
Discussed academic programs being offered (some
via the internet such as graduate degree in quality Total Liabilities:
assurance). Also discussed unused scholarship funds Owe HQ (4,108.00)
available at Dominguez Hills

Fund Balance: $ 86,792.00


Winter 2004 The Standard Page 17

Photos From MSC, January 14-16, 2004


Winter 2004 The Standard Page 18

Measurement Quality Division Officers

Chair Examining Chair


Dilip A. Shah Philip Stein
E = mc3 Solutions 400 Oak Street
197 Great Oaks Trail #130 Pennington, NJ 08534
Wadsworth, OH 44281-8215 Voice (609) 737-9421/Fax (609) 737-9144
Voice (330) 328-4400/Fax (330) 336-3974 E-mail: pstein@measurement.com
E-mail: emc3solu@aol.com or dashah@aol.com
Immediate Past Chair/Nominating Chair
Secretary Duane Allen
Certification Chair U.S. Navy
Website Manager P.O. Box 5000, Code MS11
NCSLI Representative Corona, CA 92878-5000
Christopher L. Grachanen Voice (909) 273-4783/Fax (909) 273-4599
Manager, Houston Metrology Group E-mail: duane.allen@navy.mil
Hewlett-Packard
P.O. Box 692000 MS070110 Simmons Scholarship
Houston, TX 77269-2000 Norm Belecki
Voice (281) 518-8486/Fax (281) 518-7275 7413 Mill Run Drive
E-mail: Chris.Grachanen@hp.com Derwood, MD 20855-1156
Voice (301) 869-4520
Treasurer E-mail: n.belecki@ieee.org
Newsletter
Mark Schoenlein Standards Committee Representative
Owens-Illinois Plastics Group Bill McCullough
One SeaGate, 29L-PP Consultant, CSC/DynCorp.
Toledo, OH 43666 McCullough Consulting
Voice (419) 247-7285/Fax (419) 247-8770 1936 June Cr.
E-mail: mark.schoenlein@us.o-i.com Carson City, NV 89706
Voice (775) 883-3042
Chair-Elect E-mail: billmccullough@gbis.com
Jay Bucher
Manager, Metrology Services
Promega Corporation
6700 Royal View Drive
DeForest, WI 53532
Voice (608) 277-2522/Fax (608) 277-2516
E-mail: jbucher@promega.com or yokota-69@charter.net

Program Chair
Hershal C. Brewer
Accreditation Officer
5360 Workman Mill Road
Whittier, CA 90601
Voice (562) 699-0541, ext. 3309/Fax (562) 692-2845
Mobile (949) 632-8762
E-mail: hbrewer@iasonline.org
Winter 2004 The Standard Page 19

REGIONAL COUNCILORS
Region 1 Region 8 ext. 3714, FAX (402) 293-2035, E-
Joseph Califano, Hemagen Diagnos- Open mail: tmyers@scholars.bell
tics, Inc., 40 Bear Hill Road, Waltham, Region 9 Region 14
MA 02154 • (417) 890-3766, FAX (617) Dr. Henrik S. Nielson, HN Metrology Keith Bennett, Transcat • (713) 465-
890-3748 Consulting, Inc., 5230 Nob Lane, India- 4395, E-mail: kbennett@transcat.com
Region 2 napolis, IN 46226 • (317) 849-9577, E- Region 15
Karl F. Speitel, 14 Kalleston Drive, mail: hsnielson@worldnet.att.net Bryan Miller, 417 Robinhood Dr., Flo-
Pittsford, NY 14534 • (716) 385-1838 Region 10 rence, AL 35633 • (256) 764-2733,
Region 3 Mark Schoenlein, Owens-Illinois Plas- FAX (256) 764-2733, E-mail:
Eduardo M. Heidelberg , Carter tics Group, One SeaGate 29L-PP, To- milleb@mindspring.com
Wallace, 61 Kendall Dr., Parlin, NJ ledo, OH 43666 • (419) 247-7285, FAX Region 25
08859 • (609) 655-6521, FAX (609) (419) 247-8770, E-mail: mark. Open
655-6736 schoenlein@us.o-i.com
Region 4 Region 11
Alex Lau, Imperial Oil, 111 St. Clair Raymond Perham, Michelin Tire Corp.,
Ave. W., Toronto, Ont., Canada M5W- Rt 4 Antioch Church, P.O. Box 2846, Please notify the editor of any
1K3 • (416) 968-4654, FAX (416) 968- Greenville, SC 29605 • (864) 458-1425,
errors or changes so that this list
5560, E-mail: alex.lau@esso.com FAX (864) 458-1807, E-mail:
can be updated.
Region 5 ray.perham@us.michelin.com, or
Richard A. Litts, 100 Evergreen home E-mail: r.perham007@aol.com
Dr.,Downingtown, PA • E-mail: Region 12
ralitts@aol.com Donald Ermer, University of Wiscon-
Region 6 sin Madison, 240 Mechanical Engineer-
Open ing Bldg., 1513 University Avenue,
Region 7 Madison, WI 53706-1572 • (608) 262-
Rolf B.F. Schumacher, Coast Quality 2557
Metrology Systems, Inc., 35 Vista Del Region 13
Ponto, San Clemente, CA 92672-3122 Thomas A. Myers, Bellevue Univer-
• (949) 492-6321, FAX (949) 492-6321 sity, PMP, CQM, 1000 Galvin Rd. S.,
Bellevue, NE 68123 • 1-800-756-7920

REGIONAL MAP
The Standard
Non-Profit
Organization
U.S. Postage
The Newsletter of the
PAID
Measurement Quality Division
Milwaukee, WI
Permit No. 5419
American Society for Quality

600 N. Plankinton Avenue

P. O. Box 3005

Milwaukee, WI 53201-3005

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